near to Redditch, Worcestershire, Great Britain

Forge Mill Needle Museum - the barrelling shop

When the needles had been scoured and glazed - seeSP0468 : Forge Mill Needle Museum - scouring runners - they were washed and brought here for drying. The needles were placed in the barrels on the left and mixed with hot sawdust from the stove at the back. The barrels revolved (driven by the waterwheel) and acting as a primitive tumble drier had the needles dried in 20 minutes or so. The horizontal barrels on the right were relocated from another works for the museum and were used for removing the scale from fish hooks as these could not be scoured in setts under the runners as were the needles. These too are capable of being rotated by the waterwheel.